6th Generation
Pilot Road 2
6,000 miles since May and still looks new
- Rear tire looks great
- Front tire has VERY slight cupping showing
- Rear shock is at full preload damp.
- Lowered my bike with a lowering link (removed the dog bone) two months ago.
- Raised the forks by 3/4"
Tires are always kept at spec if not a couple pounds over (I only weigh 126lbs). The balancing is good and there's no beveling. Forks are straight. Wheel is smooth.
Mine have always cupped, and I run BridgeStones, so it doesn't matter the brand, I run a few pounds over spec to try and slow it. My borther's CBR does it too, I think its too much straight running and not enought of the twisties.
[image: View Post]Recalcitrance, on 10 October 2011 - 04:56 PM, said:
6th Generation
Pilot Road 2
6,000 miles since May and still looks new
- Rear tire looks great
- Front tire has VERY slight cupping showing
- Rear shock is at full preload damp.
- Lowered my bike with a lowering link (removed the dog bone) two months ago.
- Raised the forks by 3/4"
Tires are always kept at spec if not a couple pounds over (I only weigh 126lbs). The balancing is good and there's no beveling. Forks are straight. Wheel is smooth.
Shocks maybe? Bouncing around too much?
Ideas? Suggestions?
The same thing happened to myPR2s.
Here's a link to the thread where it was discussed. http://www.vfrdiscus...__fromsearch__1
I noticed it at 7,000 and interestingly enough, it doesn't seem to have gotten any worse in another 3,000 miles.
Mine is such that you have to look for it to notice it.
It's more of a scallop than cupping and since it doesn't seem to be causing any problems, I just live with it.
[image: View Post]Recalcitrance, on 10 October 2011 - 04:56 PM, said:
6th Generation
Pilot Road 2
6,000 miles since May and still looks new
- Rear tire looks great
- Front tire has VERY slight cupping showing
- Rear shock is at full preload damp.
- Lowered my bike with a lowering link (removed the dog bone) two months ago.
- Raised the forks by 3/4"
Tires are always kept at spec if not a couple pounds over (I only weigh 126lbs). The balancing is good and there's no beveling. Forks are straight. Wheel is smooth.
Shocks maybe? Bouncing around too much?
Ideas? Suggestions?
This is pretty normal for this mileage. Some tread designs do it more than others. Just a fact of life for motorcycle tires.
I think they all tend to cup to some extent, but some worse and sooner than others.Cupping in my opinion is a normal wear pattern induced mostly by braking forces that distort tha carcass of the tire mostly when you apply the brakes, translating to wear on specific areas of the tread, as harder forces that translate to friction against the road surface are applied at those areas on the tire tread when you ar braking.
My experience has been that Dunlop sport tires of recent years tend to cup really bad way before their treads are worn out, while the Metzelers and Michelins I had used through the years tend to cup much much less.and much later in their mileage history. Some of them wear down to their wear bars before you can even detect any significant cupping, so it's never an issue for most of the tire's life. It all comes down to the design of the tire. Other factors like suspension adjustment and tire pressures might affect them a bit to induce some cupping, but I don't think that is the main reason for such.
Really at that milage you should be seeing alot more wear, cupping is just a natural result of braking, it was 1000 miles yea that would be unusual but 6k is alot of miles for a sport touring performance tire. I am usually done at 5k with a set of pr2's and I dont push it THAT hard done as in "past the wear bars and into the threads put on a new one as soon as possible" done.
full preload damp? do you mean full rebound damp? If it is full preload why lower the bike then set the preload to full it sort of negates the lowering part? Unless you did mean rebound? If the bike hopps out of corners and is a bit harsh on bumps you might want to back that off a bit (rebound) it will give you a more compliant ride. Lowering the front clamp on the forks by 3/4'' will give you a steeper rake angle = less rake and trail so it could be fighting you a little on the bumps as more rake will soak up some of that better, so the tire is taking more of a beating when on the brakes. If the fork oil is old it could have lost some of its damping too which could result in cupping on the front tire.
Thanks. I guess I'm either anal or unobservant. Never noticed cupping on my other bikes so I thought it would be caused by something other than basic wear. Maybe the Viffer is different?
It's at full rebound (sorry) because I feel the ride is better. Played around with various settings when I got the Viffer and was very particular with the numbers after the lowering link was installed. This is just the easiest ride for me. I spend a lot of time on the freeway and my formative riding years were spent on race bikes so I guess I'm just comfortable in this angle. =/
It's responding fine and the cupping is definitely more like a mild "scallop." Not noticeable unless you stand at a certain angle to view it.
I'll wait another 1,000 miles and see if it worsens.
I used to have that a lot with my BT020s. The BT021s were much better and my PR2 hasn't really shown it yet. Though that last one has so far only done 8000km. I think its a case of lots of freeway work. Almost all of my mms is freeway at the moment to the point where I have rears lasting longer than my fronts. Currently I expect about 12-14,000km out of a front and about 20-25,000km from a rear.
I don't think there's anything wrong with your bike either. I agree with HS and some tyres are more susceptible and if you're commuting a lot it makes it more likely.
Insufficient air pressure is the usual culprit. Poor suspension can also play a part. Since I've started running sport tires and using the recommended tire pressures I've had no cupping issues. IMO all longer wearing tires will eventually cup but you can minimize it by running the correct tire pressure.
Your at full rebound, what that means I dont know, but I assume rear shock since its the only one that has rebound adjustment, but lets say your at full hard (slow) or full soft (fast). Your settings very well could be accelerating your issue.
The VFR shock (stock setting rebound) is alittle quick, but you should not vary more than 1/4 turn off stock setting, unless the shock has been screwed with internally, or you'll likely be creating isssues you speak of. I notice you've castrated the bike with Lower bones, that will fk it up too. IMO, you've created your own issue.
Air Pressure maintenance is the first and easiest check. 36 front and 42 rear.
Head bearings is the next check.
I used to own a Pacific Coast PC800, and everyone will tell you Dunlop K555 front will cup eventually. I replaced the badly needed head bearings when I got it, and maintained 36/42. Never a hint of uneven wearing in 9000 or so miles.
My RC51 and VFR on Powers never cup. I've not run any Roads.
There is no question that air pressure is a big factor in tire wear, but.......
In both Recalcitrance and my case, maintaining 36 front and 42 rear has been part of our normal procedure for taking care of the tires.
The pressure may be a factor in the "scalloping", but incorrect pressure shouldn't be the reason.
And yes, I have an accurate tire gauge.
As an aside and a slight hi-jack, I have now passed the 11,000 mile mark on my PR2s and the scalloping has not gotten any worse. May have even smoothed out a little. Rear tire is not yet down to the wear bars. The PR2s have done a great job for me.
End of thread · 12 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 24 May 2012